GAT-04 Windam
The GAT-04 Windam '''is a limited-production multi-mode mobile suit rolled out by the Earth Alliance in late CE 74 as a commander type unit for its forces. Notable pilots include Eurasian Federation ace '''Sven Cal Bayan. Technology & Combat Characteristics The GAT-04 Windam is a Eurasian Federation general purpose mobile suit descended from the Dagger series of mass production mobile suits and can trace its lineage back to the GAT-X105 Strike Gundam. In terms of performance the Windam is at least equal to ZAFT's slightly newer ZGMF-1000 ZAKU Warrior, and when equipped with the aerial Jet Striker or Aile Striker is even capable of going head to head with the brand-new ZGMF-2000 GOUF Ignited. When piloted by a skilled pilot the Windam can prove to be a challenge even to the legendary ZGMF-X10A Freedom or ZAFT's state-of-the-art ZGMF-X56S Impulse Gundam. Weapons wise, the Windam features a set of rather standard armament, including CIWS guns, beam sabers, a beam rifle and a shield. It however mounts a new type of weapon in form of the anti-armor penetrator, a close-combat knife-like weapon that can be thrown and carries a powerful explosive charge. Like its Dagger predecessors the Windam has the ability to mount Striker packs, and several Striker Packs were developed for its use, including the Parabellum and Sabre Strikers, improved versions of the Launcher and Sword Strikers used by the Strike Gundam and the later Dagger series, as well as a variant of the Integrated Weapon Striker Pack(IWSP), originally developed by Orb, but never fielded in combat. Initially produced only in limited numbers for commander-use, it is later mass-produced by the Eurasian Federation. Armaments (Base Configuration) ;*M2M5 "Todesschrecken" 12.5mm CIWS x4 :Like most other mobile suits, the Windam also mounts light machineguns for use in close-range against enemy units or to shoot down missiles. The Windam mounts two pairs of these, one pair in its head and a second in its chest ;*ES04B Beam Saber :For close combat, the Windam is equipped with a pair of beam sabers, which are stored on its hips when not in use. ;*Mk315 "Stiletto" Rocket-Propelled Anti-Armor Penetrator x2 :A new type of weaponry mounted on the Windam are its two Mk315 "Stiletto" rocket-propelled anti-armor penetrators. These penetrators are dagger-like weapons, which are stored in "pockets" on the hip armor of the suit. The penetrators can be used for close combat but are most times used as throwing weapons, which, if they hit a critical spot, can destroy a single suit. ;*M703K 57mm Beam Carbine :A weapon carried over from the previous Dagger, it is a more compact version of the Dagger's M703 beam rifle. It lacks the grenade launcher and is more compact and energy efficient than a full-scale beam rifle. However, the tradeoff is that its range is significantly decreased. ;*M9409L 60mm Long-range Beam Rifle :For ranged combat, the Windam is equipped with a M9409L beam rifle. This rifle is larger and more powerful than that of previous Alliance mobile suits and has nearly double the effective range of the more common beam carbine. ;*Mk438/B Dual Multipurpose Missile "Würger" SA10 :The Windam's shield mounts a Mk438/B dual-shot launcher that can fire a pair of SA10 "Würger" multipurpose missiles, allowing the shield to be used as an offensive weapon. ;*Mk39 Low-recoil Cannon :The Mk39 low-recoil cannon is a heavy, handheld bazooka designed to be used as an anti-ship weapon, though its high power means that a single hit can cripple or destroy an ordinary mobile suit Armaments (AQM/E-A4E1 Jet Striker) The Jet Striker has a total of four weapon hardpoints, two underneath each wings. These can mount an external propellant tank to extend the Windam's range, or else a variety of different weapons: ;*SA9/G "Drache" Air-to-surface Missiles :Guided heavy anti-ground target missiles mounted on hardpoints on the underside of the jet striker's wings. ;*Mk1323 Unguided Rocket Pods :Rocket pods mounted on hardpoints on the underside of the jet striker's wings. The pods can fire a barrage of unguided rockets that are effective against multiple target types, though the projectiles are dumb-fire rockets, making their effectiveness against mobile suits limited. ;*Mk438 Triple SA10 "Würger" Missile Pods :Missile pods that each hold three SA10 "Würger" missiles of the same type as those stored in the Windam's shield, which can be used against aerial or ground targets. Because they are guided missiles, these are especially effective against aerial targets such as aircraft or mobile suits. Armaments (AQM/E-M11 Doppelhorn Striker) ;*Dual Heavy Recoilless Cannon :The Doppelhorn Striker's sole weapon, a pair of 115mm heavy anti-ship cannons that fire explosive shells. They can also be used, with limited success, against mobile suits. Because of its very large size, the Doppelhorn Striker is unusable in Earth's atmosphere. Armaments (AQM/E-M1 Aile Striker) ;*ES02 Beam Saber x2 :The only armament afforded by the Aile Striker is a second pair of beam sabers identical to those used by the Dagger, which are mounted to the upper backpack. : Armaments (AQM/E-M12S Sabre Striker) ;*"Schwert Gewehr II" Anti-Ship Beam Sword :The Sabre Striker's main weapon, it is an enhanced version of the beam sword originally used by the GAT-X105 Strike's AQM/E-X02 Sword Striker, and is identical to that used by the GAT-X133 Sword Calamity. Like the latter's, the Schwert Gewehr II can be used as a fixed, rifle-class beam gun when docked to the backpack. ;*"Panzer Eisen" rocket anchor x2 :Essentially the same as the original Sword Striker's rocket anchor, the Sabre Striker now equips two such weapons, one on each forearm ;*"Midas Messer" beam boomerang x2 :Essentially the same as the original Sword Striker's beam boomerang, the Sabre Striker now equips two such weapons. Because the shoulder-mounted attachment of the Sword Striker cannot be equipped to the Windam, they are instead mounted on the forearm, atop the rocket anchors. ;*"Caladbolg" giant beam saber :An enlarged beam saber with a significantly longer blade than ordinary sabers. This weapon does not have quite the length or power to function effectively as an anti-ship weapon, but its longer reach makes it a much more effective anti-MS weapon than ordinary beam sabers. Armaments (AQM/E-M13S Parabellum Striker) ;*"Agni Kai" 32cm hyper impulse beam cannon :The Parabellum Striker's main weapon, it is an enhanced version of the powerful beam cannon originally used by the GAT-X105 Strike's AQM/E-X03 Launcher Striker, with significantly increased power. To maximize efficiency, the Agni Kai, unlike the original, has its own dedicated internal power supply. ;*"Todesblock Kai" 337mm plasma-sabot cannon :A fixed version of the plasma-sabot bazooka originally used by the GAT-X131 Calamity Gundam, it is fired over the right shoulder. ;*220mm 8-barrel Missile Pod :A large, high-capacity missile launcher mounted to the upper portion of the Parabellum Striker's backpack, adjacent to the Agni Kai, similar to the shoulder-mounted 6-tube launchers of the GAT-X103 Buster. Armaments (AQM/E-A5M1 Integrated Weapons Striker Pack) ;*105mm High-energy Long-range Beam Cannon :Replacing the shell-firing cannons of the original Orb-developed IWSP, this version is equipped with a pair of powerful beam cannons for use against enemy ships and mobile suits. This is the IWSP's primary and most powerful ranged weapon ;*115mm Railgun :Mounted underneath each of the Beam Cannons is a single railgun, which has inferior power but consume far less energy, and is just as effective against most weapons. ;*9.1m Anti-ship Sword :Developed from data based on the Sword Striker's "Schwert Gewehr" 15.78 meter anti-ship sword. These swords are slightly shorter and do not posses a beam blade. ;*Combined Shield :The IWSP's shield, which also mounts a 60mm 6-barrel Gatling Gun and a "Midas Messer" Beam Boomerang similar to that of the Sword Striker's. Because of its high mass, this weapon causes the suit's center of gravity to shift to the side, and thus is only used by the most highly skilled pilots. System Features ;*Striker Pack Hardpoint : The Windam, like the Dagger, uses the same hardpoint as that originally used by the GAT-X105 Strike to equip additional equipment in the form of Striker Packs. A total of seven Striker Packs - three by the Atlantic Federation, four by the Eurasian Federation - were developed for the Windam and Dagger. History When the First Junius War ended, more than half of the Earth Alliance's military strength had been annihilated. In the following years, the Atlantic Federation began to work towards rebuilding its lost military might, and they contract this out to the Alliance's largest weapons manufacturers. The first task undertaken to this end by the Alliance was a project intended to modernize and improve the GAT-01A1 Dagger. However this was largely a stopgap measure, as Eurasian-based arms manufacturer Aktaion Industries, while collaborating with rival NDI on the Dagger modernization project, also began work on a next-generation mobile suit to replace it entirely. Aktaion Industries's prototype was the GAT-04 Windam, a machine designed as an agile, highly maneuverable upgrade to the Dagger series, while at the same time being more cost-effective than its predecessor. Unlike the Strike Dagger, the Windam retained the ability to use Striker Packs that was present in the original GAT-X105 Strike as well as the mass-produced Dagger . The Windam is somewhat less heavily-armored but had significantly greater mobility and more powerful armament compared to the Dagger: Supplementing its beam sabers was a 60mm beam rifle, a more powerful, longer-range weapon than had been previously used by the Dagger, as well as a set of anti-armor penetrators - essentially a mobile suit-sized throwing knife with a powerful explosive charge in the hilt, and two pairs of CIWS machineguns in its torso and head. The Windam was also designed so that, even in spite of its high performance it was simple to pilot, allowing less experienced pilots to control it with minimal additional training. The Windam was tested with the AQM/E-A4E1 Jet Striker, a simplified atmospheric flight pack loosely based on the AQM/E-X01 Aile Striker, and equipped with a set of hardpoints on its wings to mount additional missiles or propellant tanks. A long-range artillery equipment, the AQM/E-M11 Doppelhorn Striker, is also developed and tested on both machines, and the Atlantic Federation also secretly commissions the creation of a twin launcher for Mk5 nuclear missiles. However, Aktaion also continues production of the Launcher and Sword Strikers that were previously used on the Dagger, and also produce a refined Integrated Weapon Striker Pack(IWSP) in very small numbers for it. Initially, the Windam is subsequently ordered in small numbers as a squadron commander-use mobile suit by the Eurasian Federation at the behest of its Vice-President, veteran mobile armor pilot Brennan Marshall. The Windam proves highly successful, demonstrating itself capable of fighting on equal terms with ZAFT's newest machines, including the '''GOUF Ignited. '''One Windam in particular is assigned to Eurasian Federation special forces commander Sven Cal Bayan of the élite 501st Autonomous Corps, who uses his machine with an upgraded IWSP equipment. Later on, the Dagger would be phased out of both nations' armies as the Eurasian Federation adopted the Windam exclusively, while the Atlantic Federation moved away from humanoid mobile suits altogether and instead opted for mobile armors such as the TS/MA-5B Euclid . Gallery Ms windam b.png|Windam in 501st colors Trivia *The Windam is conceptually somewhat analogous to the Universal Century's RGM-89 Jegan. Category:Mobile Suit Category:Earth Alliance